2018 Toyota Camry engine problems
143 of the 771 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Toyota Camry name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 88 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 of the 143 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 1 · 2018: 16 · 2019: 31 · 2020: 26 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 16
Half of the 68 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 7,000 and 42,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
771 complaints in all about the 2018 Toyota Camry, 16 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Toyota Camry engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Vehicle in motion getting onto freeway. Pressing gas pedal to accelerate car not accelerating beyond 40mph and felt like it was being forced to accelerate like there was drag and pull. Car jerked forward a few times as if it was being choked on gas.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle surged forward and accelerated independently without depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle then decelerated and the contact depressed the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. In addition, the vehicle stalled as the motor revved.
I've had this 2018 Toyota Camry since may 23, 2018 & I noticed not even a week later that this car has a problem accelerating. I contacted the salesman, the service manager, & the sales manager & they all been giving me the run around.
After taking delivery of the vehicle I noticed that the vehicle accelerates very poor and when the vehicle was set on cruise control it would drop speed for no reason
4-cylinder xse has significant acceleration delay after depressing the pedal; this is especially apparent when accelerating from a rolling stop at approximately 15-25 MPH. Occasionally, the gear will also shift abruptly when accelerating from 15-25 MPH, causing the car to lurch forward suddenly.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 18V200000 HighMar 28, 2018 · 1,730 vehicles
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry vehicles equipped with a 2.5L, four-cylinder engine. The pistons on these vehicles may be larger than specified, possibly causing the engine to stall.
88 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- T-SB-0110-20 Rev2 Service bulletinAug 20, 2026
- OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.
- T-SB-0051-26 Service bulletinAug 20, 2026
- This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries.
- 24TE04 Warranty extensionAug 11, 2026
- Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak.
- T-SB-0104-21 Rev2 Service bulletinFeb 27, 2026
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
The 4 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P26CB P0171 P0A7F P0A80 P0304 P0441 P0455 P0505
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Toyota Camry names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2018 Toyota Camry
Source: the same files- brake problems 180 complaints
- fuel system problems 102 complaints
- electrical problems 71 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 143 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (19% of everything owners filed about it), and 88 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 18V200000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Toyota Camry?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 20,600 miles; half of them between 7,000 and 42,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.